Safety-switch mechanism



L. SIEBERT. SAFETY SWITCH MECHANISM APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 19I9- Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 1.

f INViNTOR BY WITNESS mu 7 a;

A TTORNE YS Patented Nov. 14,1922.

.U-NITEDIsT-A'I Lns'rna sIE im'r, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

I SAFETY-SWITCH ncHANIsM.

Application ma my 19,

. To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, LESTER SIEBERT, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have 'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a f's-pecification.

l The present invention relates particularly to improvements in protecting means for-knife blade or lever switches, andhas for its .principal objects to provide a con struction whereby when the switch member is in closed position accidental contact with the conducting portions thereof is prevented, and likewise when the same is in opened position accidental contact with the live element with which the movable switch member-contacts is prevented, thus provid-' ing a construction bythe use of which the live elements of knife blade or lever type switches are effectively protected against accidental contact by .those who operate the same; A= further object'is to provide a con- Sfluction for protecting the live points or .{ends o'f the fuse elements generally associated withjswitches of this type-and to prevent contact therewith during such time as thei switjch elements are operated and to provide a construction wherein the switch element or elementstogether with the fuse element or elements are encased or enclosed and the respective elements are ,exposed to operation through the opening of separate to obtain access to the'fuse element during such. time as the door or closure to permit the operation of the switch element is open. With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention'consists in the novel construction and combinationof parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended; it being understood that variouschanges in the forn'npro portion, size and minor details of construction within thescope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of-the advantages of .the invention.

To more fully comprehend the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, .wherein Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the preferred embodiment of my inventionw'ith' the switch enclosing door in open position endoors or closures, whereby it is impossible 1919. Serial No. 298,116.

abling the operation oft-he switches within the box.

F g. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1, but with the switch encloslng door in closed positionand one of the switch members in open position. Fig. 3 illustrates a switch provided with a plate for protecting the live contact.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, the numeral 1 indicates a suitable switch box having a hinged cover plate 2 capable of being open to permit access to the-entire interior of the box, and when in closed position, preferably retained from being opened by screws or other removal fastening means Mounted within the box, in any suitable manner, as on the supports 4, is a conventional board or plate 5 preferably of insulating material, and which carries the conducting means and switch elements together with the fuse connecting elements, hereinafter described. 1

Surrounding the board or plate are the side members 6 which extend to a point approximately level with the box side walls, as illustrated in Fig. 4. p j The box cover 2 is provided preferably in its center with an opening 7 normally closed by the fuse enclosing door 8 hinged to the cover 2, as at 9, said door being in turn provided approximately in its center with the outstanding annular flange 10 which orms the side walls of an opening llin said door, and through which opening, when the door 8 is closed, access may be had to the switch elements. This door 8 is preferably precluded from being opened by unauthorized persons by the use of a lock member 12 carried thereby and the latch of which is adapt-c ed to project beyond the inner surface of the ably as at 14: to the flange 10 surrounding the opening and retained in closed position by any suitable. form of locking means 15. While in the drawings I have illustrated four switches and their associated c'oacting arts, the same. forming a switch board unit, It is thought that a description of one of these units and its associated elementswill sufiice, and it is to be understood that one or more of the switches and associated elements crum point 21. i

may be employed in any construction, and that under certain conditions the horror enclosing casing may be dispensed with, if it is so desired.

Carried at the rear of the board or plate 5 are the bus bars 16, illustrated as three in number, and the same are connected through any suitable means with a source of power, said source of power preferably entering the box 1 from an exterior point and connected with the bus bars at a point imme-' diately below the removable plate 17,, Figs. 2 and 3 'of the drawings.

Passing through the plate 5 and o ne'or more associated with each switch mechanism, are the live terminal points 18 of any, well known construction, said points lying preferably below the opening 11. A switch 19 having an operating handle 20 and of the commonly termed knife blade or lever type is illustrated as being movable'on its pivot 21to connect the terminals 18 with the distributing lines controlled by said switch.

As illustrated in the drawings, the upper exposed portion of the switch bar 19 is protected by a cover plate 22 from accidental contact by the operator, said plate being movable iwith the switch element in its movement to and from the board 5 and is constructed either of conducting material insulated from the bar 19 or of non-conducting material in contact with or insulated from the bar 19, the area of said plate being sufficient tooverliesaidbar, and when the switch is in closed position to project a slight distance rearwardly from the fiel- In some constructions it is desirable to position fuses Within the switch box for protecting the distributing lines, and in the present case the members which yieldably engage the ends of the'fuses are illustrated particularly in Fig. 4, onebeing associated through a conducting membergli extended from the fulcrum point. 21 and resting on the upper surface of the plate 5. These sp-ring members ma r be of any suitable construction jlust so -long as the same are capable of receiving the conducting terminals of a fuse, and the lingers for engaging and retaining any given fuse in position are spaced from each other and are only conductively connected through the fuses 25 preferably of any approved type, particularly illustrated in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. From one of the two contact fingers 24 of each pair associated with the respective fuses extends adistributing wire or lead 25 the circuit through which is controlled by the operation of the switch blade 19.

The spring contact fingers 24 are also protected from accidental contact through the protecting plates 25 and 26, the plate 25 being hinged as-at 27-to the rear edge end is at'all times protected when the switch is in either open or closed position. The

present construction enables the employment of the exposed terminal fuses now universally in use and likewise the use of the conventional and inexpensive knife blade or lever switches now in universal use and pro-. vides a covering for the live elements of the switch and fuse when the switch is in either open or closed position. The plate 26 overlying the other spring contact finger of any given pair is hinged as at 29 to the wall 6 and is normally held in the position to over lie its associated contact finger by a suitable coiled spring 30. I

It will be apparent from an examination of the drawings that the respective switches are positioned within the box, to lie with their 'fulcrumed pointsv substantially in alignment with the edge of the opening 11 so that the opening of the door 13 will permit access to be hadto the switches to operate the same, but will preclude access being had to the switch fuses.

As the switch fuses are only renewed by authorized persons, and in some cases by persons different from those who merely open and close the switches, access is precluded therefrom until such time as the authorized person opens the door 8, which in turn carries the door 13, at which time access'may be had to either renew the fuses or to operate the switches.

While in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings no means isprovided for preventing accidental contact with thelive terminal 18 of the respective switches, when the switch is in open position, it -is readily apparent that a plate J .31 similar to the plate 25 may be pivotally connected asat 32 to the free end of the blade 19, it being normally forced into contact with the surfaceo f the board 5 to ride thereon through the action of a spring 33, this construction being illustrated in 5 of the drawings.

By my improved construction I am enabled to provide a switch of the knife blade or lever type which when in closed or opened position is provided with means for preventing accidental contact with live or charged portions thereof, and by the providi'ng of an improved box construction the opening ofthe door 13 only permits. access to be had to the movable switch members,

means by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a movable switch 01"- the knife or lever type a base mounting the same and to and from which said switch is movable, a pair of terminals disposed in the same plane and adapted for connection by said switch when the same is in closed position, a cover plate overlying said movable member. and movable therewith to overlie said movable contact and terminals to protect the same from accidental contact when the switch is in closed position, and a hinged member adapted to overlie the live one of said terminals on the disengagement of the movable contact therefrom, to

preclude accidental contact with said .live terminal when the movable switch is disengaged from one of said terminals.

2. In combination with a movable switch of the knife or lever type, a base mounting the same and to and from which said switch is movable, a pair of terminals adapted for connection by said switch when the same is in closed position, a cover plate overlying said movable member and movable there with to overlie said movable contact and terminals to protect the same from accidental contact when the switch is. in closed position, and a member hinged to the said movable contact for'movement therewith and adapted to overlie the live one of said terminals on the disengagement of the movable contact therefrom to preclude accidental contact therewith.

3. In combination with a switch of the knife or lever type and associated contacts, of means mounted on and movable with tie switch for precluding accidental contact with the conducting portions thereof or of said switch contacts when the switch is either in closed or opened position.

4:. In combination with a pivoted knife or lever switch and its associated contacts connected thereby, a pair ofexposed fuse contacts associated with said switch, a cover plate carried by the switch member and movable therewith for precluding accidental contact with the switch conducting portions and. its associated contacts, and a pivotally mounted protecting plate for said fuse contacts to overlie and cover the same to preclude accidental contact with the conductin portions thereof, said plate being capable of pivotal movement independent of said cover p ate.

5. In combination with a lever switch pivotally mounted at one end, a normally energized jaw; contact .engageable thereby, and means carried by the switch for precluding accidental contact with the conducting portions thereof or with said jaw when said switch is-either in closed or opened position.

6. In combination with a base, a pivoted lever switch carried thereb'y a normally energized jaw contact engageable thereby, and a movable member associated with said jaw contact and operated by the movement of said switch to overlie said jaw contact onthe disengagement of the switch therefrom to preclude accidental contact with said jaw contact. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. LESTER SIEBERT. Witnesses:

H. H. TOTTEN, D. B. RICHARDS. 

